Tom Sietsema’s first journalism job was newsroom office cleaner

We are thrilled to induct Tom Sietsema into the SFJ Hall of Fame at our 2026 national conference from Oct. 22-24 in Phoenix. The honor recognizes journalists who have made incredible contributions to arts, entertainment, culture, lifestyle and narrative journalism.

Tom Sietsema

Sietsema spent nearly 26 years as the food critic for The Washington Post. He would dine incognito — never making a reservation in his own name — and visit a restaurant multiple times to get a fuller experience.

He is now at The Washington Sun, a new newsroom covering Washington, D.C., and is sharing his cooking, traveling and other adventures on his newsletter “Next Course with Tom Sietsema.”

At the SFJ conference, Sietsema will appear on a panel about “The Odyssey of Covering Food, Culture and History,” a discussion moderated by SFJ board member Alice Short.

As a bonus, he answered five questions about journalism to inspire us further!

1. What is your earliest memory of journalism?
   My very first job in journalism was cleaning the offices of the Worthington Daily Globe in Worthington, Minnesota, my hometown in the southwestern corner of the state. I loved the sound of the phones ringing, the smell of ink and newsprint — the sense of urgency of the reporters, editors and photographers working around me. Reading a newspaper was a daily ritual for my family. In fact, my siblings and I would race outside to get our copy from the paper boy first (even in just our stockings in the snow). We probably read the comics first, but we also read the hard news.

2. The state of restaurant criticism — and criticism in general — has changed a lot since social media. What has surprised you in a good way about how information is shared now?
   I appreciate the fact more people than ever are writing about food and restaurants. Different voices and perspectives are important and necessary. I’m all about longer tables — being more inclusive, as chef José Andrés likes to say.

3. What’s one piece of sage advice you’d like to share with today’s journalists?
   When you’re working on a story, don’t put off reaching out to important sources right away. I can’t tell you how often I’ve been burned by waiting even a day, either because a principal goes out of the country or the competition gets to the source first. Also! Write thank you notes to people who have helped you along the way. Texts are forgotten. Putting a stamp on a hand-written note makes you stand out from the crowd.

4. What’s a recent moment of wonder you’ve had?
   I met Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at an event a couple months ago, and I thanked her for her service.  She then returned the compliment. I said, “Look, what I did was small potatoes compared to you.” She replied, “All service is important, Tom.” (Lesson No. 245: There’s a food story in EVERYTHING.)

5. What does “Reinventing with Purpose” [the SFJ26 conference theme] mean to you?
   I really thought I’d end my writing career at The Washington Post. I mean, how much better can it get, working for one of the best-known brands in the business? It turns out, there’s life — an amazing, productive, hugely fulfilling life — after you leave the safety of something you’ve done for a while and you challenge yourself to create something new. You just have to keep your eyes open, accept invitations to “meet for coffee,” and say “yes” only to the things that you truly want to pursue.

Register for our 2026 Society for Features Journalism conference here!